Bottle carrier



Dec. 9, 1947. J STROBL, 2,432,351

BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Feb. 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l Deng, 1947. i J STRQBL v 2,432,351

' BOTTLE CARRIER 7 Filed Feb. 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 9, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE CARRIER John A. strobl, Louisville, Kin, assigno'r to Reyn olds Metals Company, Ricliinorid, Va acor= poration of Delaware Application February 5, 1945, Serial No. 5761299 Claims. 1

The object of the. present invention is to provide a bottle carrier, as for example, for six beverage bottles, which may be made of stamped sheet metal of relatively light gauge, aluminum being preferred, which will be very inexpensive in construction, and which will incorporate a handle member so associated with two shelf members as to securely hold the bottles by pivotal clamping movements of the shelf members.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View illustrating an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation, and

Figure 3 is a side elevation.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that my bottle carrier consists of a centralhandleframe member generally indicated at I and which may be formed from an aluminum alloy strip bent into rectangular formation, the ends of the strip being welded or otherwise secured together as at I To strengthen the handle member, areas thereof may be stamped in channel formation as indicated at I The horizontal lower section of the handle member may have a longitudinal extending rib as shown at 2, this rib not only reinforcing the section but serving as a stop or separation bead for the two rows of bottles.

Pivoted to the handle frame are two shelf members, 3, 3 These shelf members are of like construction, each member consisting of a Vertical wall formed by a sheet which is horizontally bent at its lower margin to form a shelf-like support 4. Each of the members 3, at its sides is formed with an ear 5 bent at right angles to receive one of two links 6 pivoted at 1 to a flattened area of the handle frame. Also, at its lower margin, each member 3 is provided with similar ears 5 pivotally secured to a, pair of links 8 which in turn are pivoted at 9 to a lower area of the handle frame.

It will be understood that the vertical platelike walls of each shelf member may be ribbed by a stamping operation in order to strengthen the member. And it will be noted that at their upper edges these members are bent over upon themselves at II] for purposes of reinforcement and to avoid sharp edges.

When the device is ready for the reception of bottles, the members 3 will be separated to approximately the position of Figure 1 and the bottles may be dropped into position by the customary overhead loading devices. When the bottles are located within the holder, their bottom will rest on the shelf areas 4. once the support is withdrawn from these areasby lifting the carrier; the lead at the base of each pivotedshelf member will act upon the pivoted links 6 and 8 so that the two rows of bottles will be brought toward each other and they will beheld in; clamped and secure position within the holder with the rib or bead 2 separating the two rows. The bottles thus will be engaged between the side members 3, 3 and the central rib 2, after the space between the two side walls and between each side wall and the central rib has been narrowed by the downward movement of the horizontal areas 4.

When the device with the bottles carried thereby is deposited upon a table or other support, the bottles will again be released from the clamping action and may freely be removed.

It should be noted that in construing the device the vertical sections 3, 3 and the rib 2 must be spaced sufficiently to permit the bottles not to be impeded in their downward movement before reaching the clamping position.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in the form and arrangement of th elements illustrated in the embodiment shown and described herein, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent being as follows:

I claim:

1. A bottle carrier comprising a handle frame having a top handle portion and vertical spaced side members and a horizontal base, opposed clamping-shelf members each consisting of a vertical section and an angularly bent lowermost shelf section projected toward the base of the handle member, and upper and lower pairs of links at each side of the handle member and pivoted thereto and to the clamping shelf members, whereby, when the device is elevated by the handle member, the weight of two rows of bottles, one row of bottles being carried by each clamping shelf member, causes the clamping shelf members to be moved toward each other.

2. A bottle carrier comprising a handle member having spaced vertical side member-s and a horizontal base, opposed clamping-shelf members each consisting of a vertical section and an angularly bent lowermost shelf section projected toward the base of the handle member, and links at each side of the handle member and pivoted thereto and to the clamping-shelf members whereby, when the device is elevated by the handle member, the Weight of two rows of bottles, one row of bottles being carried by each clamping-shelf member, causes the clamping-shelf members to be moved toward each other, said handle member consisting of a strip of metal bent into rectangular formation and provided with two opposed sets of flat wall areas for the pivotal reception of the links, the handle member being ribbed at other areas for reinforcement.

- 3. A bottle carrier comprising a handle member having spaced vertical side members and a horizontal base, opposed clamping-shelf members each consisting of a vertical section and an angularly bent lowermost shelf section projected toward the base of the handle member, and links at each side of the handle member and pivoted thereto and to the clamping-shelf members, whereby, when the device is elevated by the handle member, the weight of two rows of bottles, one row of bottles being carried by each clamping-shelf member, causes the clamping-shelf members to be moved toward each other, said handle member consisting of a strip of metal bent into rectangular formation and provided with two opposed sets of fiat wall areas for the pivotal reception of the links.

4. A bottle carrier comprising a handle member having a top handle portion and spaced vertical side members and a horizontal base strip at the bottom of the carrier and extending between the side members, opposed clamping-shelf members having upper and lower ears at each of their side edges, and upper and lower pairs of links extending between and pivoted to the side members of the handle member and to the upper and lower ears of the shelf members, whereby when the carrier is elevated by the handle member the weight of bottles supported by said shelf members causes the shelf members to be brought toward each other and to clamp the bottles in the carrier.

5. A bottle carrier constructed in accordance with claim 3 in which the base portion of the handle member has a longitudinal upwardly projecting spacing ridge therealong serving to keep apart bottles disposed on the shelf members on opposite sides of the ridge.

JOHN A. STROBL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,046,825 Kneff July 7, 1936 2,404,532 Rocker July 23, 1946 2,265,877 Smith Dec. 9, 1941 2,285,566 Burnhoff June 9, 1942 

